MSc in Asian Studies

Lund University

MSc in Asian Studies

Programme overview

The Master’s programme in Asian Studies at Lund University is a popular programme and our students appreciate the truly international milieu with fellow students from a great number of nations and teachers who are established experts on Asia in different disciplines in the social sciences.

The aim of this transdisciplinary programme is to provide our students with advanced knowledge about current issues in Asia. Students gain expertise on contemporary Asian societies and are able to specialise based on the regional, thematic and disciplinary focus they choose. Most of our students carry out fieldwork in an Asian country of their choice. The students have the option of taking our applied fieldwork course at one of our partner universities in Asia.

As a student on this programme, you will:

• learn to analyse complex issues related to social, cultural, political and economic developments in Asia and acquire the capacity to analyse their causes and interrelations and to propose possible solutions, as well as identify future trends and developments • gain the ability to work in an interdisciplinary setting and in a multicultural international environment • learn to plan and use appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined timeframes and so contribute to the formation of knowledge and evaluation• gain the skills required for work in research, government agencies or employment in some other qualified capacity • be able to demonstrate knowledge about scientific communication channels and be able to monitor the knowledge development within the field of Asian studies

Programme modules/courses

Courses and number of credits: Introduction to Asian Studies (6), The Economic Transformation of Asia (12), Political Systems, Governance and Democracy in Asia (12), region-specific courses (China, Japan/Korea, Southeast Asia, South Asia) (15), Methodology in Theory and Practice (15), six to nine optional courses of which the student chooses three (3x7.5), Applied Fieldwork (methods) (7.5), Master’s thesis (30).

Career prospects

Graduates of the MSc Programme in Asian Studies have a number of career opportunities available to them after their graduation. Many graduates continue to doctoral studies at universities throughout Europe and beyond.

Currently, our graduates are enrolled in doctoral programmes in a wide range of fields including political science, economic history, service management, demography, international relations, legal studies and sustainable development. We also have students who continue in academia as programme managers for study courses, international coordinators and research assistants.

Some of our students work in government administration, for example, Foreign Ministries, the Nordic Council of Ministers, embassies and various UN agencies. Other students obtain employment in NGOs around the world, for example, the Asia Foundation, the Red Cross and Oxfam. In the private sector we find our graduates employed as business analysts, consultants, project leaders, project coordinators, business developers, brand managers, company directors, freelance journalists and newspaper editors.

Read more about this programme on www.lunduniversity.lu.se/asian-studies

Why Lund University?

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is one of northern Europe’s oldest, broadest and finest universities. The University ranks among the world's top 100 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2019 and is the #1 choice for international students coming to Sweden – one of the world's most innovative, sustainable and democratic countries.

If you would like to start building your international network in a global classroom setting, Lund University is a great option. Experience a different way of learning in a country ranked as one of the best in the world at providing higher education. Group work and informal teacher-student relationships facilitate in-depth learning.

The University is located in Lund, a charming and compact university city in southern Sweden, only 35 minutes away from Copenhagen Airport in Denmark. The city is famous for its vibrant student life and is also home to many world-leading research facilities and international companies.